Velesto, Petronas, and NOV pursuing rig automation and stepping up drilling game with robotics

Malaysia’s rig owner Velesto, a subsidiary of Velesto Energy, has joined forces with Petroliam Nasional Berhad (Petronas) through Malaysia Petroleum Management (MPM), and National Oilwell Varco (NOV) to enhance drilling operations by bringing robotics into play and boosting its jack-up fleet with a rig automation system.

A memorandum of understanding (MoU), which the trio recently signed, will enable the collaboration that aims to galvanize advancement in rig technology by seeking to implement rig mechanized automation processes and integrate robotics into drilling operations.

Megat Zariman Abdul Rahim, President of Velesto, commented: “We are honoured to collaborate with Petronas and NOV on this important initiative. This reflects our commitment to addressing our clients’ needs through innovative solutions. We appreciate their trust and remain dedicated to delivering meaningful value to our clients and the broader industry.”

The MoU’s objective is to create a collaborative framework that leverages NOV’s drilling automation system (NOVOS) and other energy carbon optimization solutions (ECOS), encompassing robotics, on Velesto-operated rigs to bolster operational performance and safety.

While Petronas will provide steer and operational guidance to ensure the deployment of NOVOS and robotics aligns with its strategic goals, Velesto will oversee the integration and optimization of these systems on its drilling rigs, while NOV will provide technical support and training for local implementation and knowledge transfer.

In addition, the trio’s efforts will focus on transforming and optimizing drilling operation efficiency in Malaysia, curtailing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and achieving cost efficiency through advanced automation and digitalization technologies as key enablers.

The Malaysian rig owner’s rationale for the collaboration pinpoints the enhancement of sustainable operational efficiency and the fostering of local capability development in the energy sector among factors that prompted the trio to embark on this quest.

“By aligning with Petronas’ sustainability goals, this initiative seeks to drive technology adoption and equip local talent with advanced skills, supporting the industry’s future growth,” emphasized Velesto.

The rig owner’s most recent collaboration comes a month after the firm disclosed plans to pool resources with SLB to boost rig capabilities with digital tools to improve drilling performance.

Velesto also recently finished a mandatory five-year special periodical survey (SPS) for one of its jack-up rigs, which was expected to resume its drilling assignment in Sarawak with Petronas.